Automatic feeding-machine.



E. B. ROBY.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT-4,1913.

1,170,492. Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

I4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

AT TY.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (1)., WASHINGTON, n. c.

APPLICATION HLED OCT-4.1913.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

I4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

G ,d u o 0 0 9.0 a o a 0 WITNESSES: QQ INVIENTOR g ZZWLMA a W a @4 y ATTY.

E. B. ROBY.- AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 0014,1913.

1,170,492. Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

I4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: I IN ENTOR 4W BY A AT'IIY.

Tm: COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, D. c.

E. B. ROBY.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE. APPLICATION F|LED.0CT-4, 1913- l,1 70,492. Patented Feb.- 1, 1916.

I4 SHEETS- SHEET 4- n ATTY.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, h. c.

E. B. ROBY.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE.

APPQCATION FILED OCT.4|1913.

w. \ibk R 9 0 1H Q T N 11 Ill 4 ||||hW R E 6 V I m H w. m6 M E S s E W 1 l W THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, h. c

E. B. ROBY. AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.4, l9l3. 1,170,492.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0. WASHINGTON. I). c.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

E. B. RUBY. AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 4, 913- I v 4 1,170,492. Patsnted Feb. 1, 1916.

14 SHEETSLSHEET z.

75Brush I FramBattery w WITNESSES;

@MMM M fly BY WM ATTY.

THE coLumum PLANDGRAPH Co. \VASHINfi'rflM n. c.

E. B. ROBY. AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT-4, 1913.

WITNESSES: 6Z2,

THE COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON. D. C.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

14 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

INVEN'LOR ATIY.

E. B. ROBY. AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE.

n0 1 9 11 .1 0 e F m m a P w m 4 c O D H H N o .n A c U P DI A 2 9 4 O 7 1 1 I4 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

WITNESSES:

ATTY.

THE COLUMBIA PLAEwGRAPH CO-. \VASHINGTON. n. c.

E. B. ROBY.

AUTOMATiC FEED-ING MACHINE.

APPLICATION ElLED OCT. 4, 1913. 1,17OA92. Patented Feb.1,1916.

l4 SHEETS-SHEET l0.

WMLAZW WITNESSES @fi ATTY.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., wAsHmu'roNv D. c.

E. B. ROBY.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-4,1913. 1,170,492.

Patented Feb. '1, 1916.

14 SHEETS-SHEET II.

Fay. 27

WITNESSES: JINVENT R WM BY 6], In

m5 COLUMBIA WRAP" 0o. WASHINGTON o. c.

E. B. ROBY.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE. APiLICATlON FILED OCT. 4| 1913.

l4 SHEETSSHEET I2- -2 k w In i mi i? e m g any o m .9 n a v: (c v m al k v K I) Q h I $52 Ni 3 11% '0 [In WETNESSES: HNVENTOR rm: COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPM cm. WASHINGTON, D. C.

E.B.ROBY. AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE Rm 1 9 1 L, F d e n QM Qu 4* 0 7 1 I4 SHEETSSHEET l3- UTNESSES INVENTOR ATTY TIIE Cowman PLANOQRAPII 60., WASHINGTON, u. c

E. B. ROBY. AUTOMATIC FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.4, 1913. 1,170,492. Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

L4 SHEETS-SHEET I4.

WITNQSSES: INVENTOR )3 @z; 0% M0? W M BY THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c

FEED dllitltlffi FAT EDWARD B. near, or TRGY, rinw roan, essronoa T0 L. nnnnn, or

. coLoNIn, NEW roan.

AUTOMATIC FEEDING-MACEINE.

Patented Feb. 1t, 1916.

Application filed Qctober 4, 1913. Serial No. 793,354.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that L'EDWARD B. ROBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of ltensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Feeding- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to feeding machines and the objects of my invention are to construct a machine which will feed goods of different character or material alternately between rolls and lay them smoothly and uniformly on tables so as to be folded, stitched together or glued or otherwise treated by a separate and independent machine or by any other means and the diflerent materials are put together as by a machine for folding collars or cuffs or any other purpose. I accomplish theseobjects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Fi ure 1 is a top plan View with the upper belts removed. Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the upper belts on the rolls ready for use. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the rear end of the machine. Fig. is a top plan view of my .Leeding machine attached to a folding machine used for the purpose of delivering collar blanks on to the bed-plate of the folding machine. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are rear end views showing the different positions of the carrying plate in carrying goods from the feeding machine to the receiving table. Fig. 10 is a top plan View, partly broken away, of the endless belts carrying the goods to the feed rolls. Fig. 11 is a side View of the roll for combing out the goods. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section of the end less belt on the baclr side of the machine carrying the goods to the feed-rolls. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the front belt carrying the goods to the feedrolls. Fig. 1-i is a front side view of my ceding machine with the extreme rear broken away showing the portion of the feed-roll conveying the goods, down to and including the lowerbelt. Fig. 15 is a sectional view showing the rolls for holding'the goods. Figs. 16 and 17 are detailed views of the engaging mechanism between the upper and lower belts. Fig. 18 is a top plan View of the lower belt of the feeding. machine, showing portions of the lower conveying belt. Fig. 19 is a top plan view of the stationary plates of the machine upon which the goods are deposited after leaving the feed-rolls. Figs. 20 and '21 are detailed views showing the endless chain connection to the carrying plate. Fig. 22 is a top plan view of the stationa y plates upon which the goods are deposited, showing the carry ing plate in diii erent position from that shown in Fig. 19. Fig. 23 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the plates upon which the goods are deposited after leaving the feed rolls. Fig. 2a is an end elevation of the timing mechanism. Fig. 25 is a side elevation of the same. Figs. 26 and 27 are details of the timing mechanism. Figs. 28, 29, 30 and 31 and are wiring diagrams for the timing mechanism. Figs. 38, 34, 35 and 36 are detailed views of the driving mechanism. Fig. 37 is a plan View of the timing mechanism. Figs. 38 and 39 are rear end views of same, showing rocking arm in difierent position.

Similar numerals-refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Heretofore in the manufacture of collars and cuffs and similar articles the blanks have been selected and fed to the folding or pasting machines by hand. Where two separate classes of goods are used, as in the manufacture of collars and cuffs, this requires separate operations to get the goods uniformly selected and placed upon the bed of the machines. Applicants present invention is designed to feed the goods automatically to the. folding, pasting or other machines, selecting the different grades or kinds of goods alternately and depositing them uniformly in position upon the bed of the folding or posting machine and for any other purpose for which it may be required to feed the goods uniformly and accurately.

The machine consists generally of four endless conyeyers for feeding the goods to the feeding rolls. These conveyors move alternately and are so timed that one piece of goods is deposited from one conveyor upon one plane of the plates and then another piece of goods of the same or different grade or material is deposited on another plate and then both the pieces are upon the plates so that the one comes directly over the other and the pieces are deposited accurately and uniformly upon the feeding bed or table, as may be desired.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 represent the endless conveyors which are pref erably endless belts or tapes and may be of any suitable material. 3 and 4 are come spending lower belts. These belts may be mounted on rolls as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 or the same may be differently arranged as may most eifciently accomplish the purpose. The goods are placed upon the top conveyors and may be combed out by hand or machine so that the end of one piece of goods at a time will be caught by the rollers. The rollers 36 and 37 will feed the goods between the plates upon the lower plate as shown in Fig. 12 and the goods placed upon the conveyor 2 will be fed between the upper'plates as shown in Fig. 13.

5, 5 represent the goods upon the endless conveyors 1 and 2. The goods shown in the drawings are blanks for collars which may be so combed that the bottom blank on conveyer 1 will be the top blank on conveyor 3 and will first come between the rollers 36 and 37 as shown in Fig. 12. By combing is meant the distribution of the goods lengthwise so that the ends do not in any case coincide with each other. This combing may be done by hand or by any suitable device such as is usually used for that purpose. Fig. 11 shows a roller for that purpose. These rollers may he of any suitable form. They are designed to be used in pairs; one mounted above the endless conveyor, and one mounted below the conveyor, opposite to the one mounted above it, and they are designed to be revolved in opposite directions. They are slidably mounted on shaft 7 so that the same combing rollers may be used on the different conveyers.

The conveyors are driven by the feed rolls 8 and 9. These feed rolls 8 and 9 are mounted loosely upon the same shaft as shown in Figs. 19 and 24. The shaft 10 carrying the feed rolls 8 and 9 has a clutch 11 which is adapted to engage alternately the feed roll 8 and the feed roll 9 as the clutch may be moved by the clutch fork 12, Fig. 24. When the clutch moves the feed roll 8 it will carry the goods deposited upon the conveyor 1 and when the clutch engages with and operates the feed roll 9 it will carry the goods placed upon the conveyor 2. The clutch fork 12 is a part of the rocking arm 13. The rocking arm 13 is mounted pivotally by any suitable support to the base of the machine. When the rocking arm 13 is rocked to the right it will throw the top part of the clutch fork 12 to the right moving the clutch. The clutch will engage the feed roll 9 and when the rocking arm 13 is rocked in the opposite direction it will disengage the clutch from the feed roll 9 and engage the clutch with the feed roll 8. When the rocking arm stands perfectly horizontal the clutch does not engage with either feed roll. The rocking arm 13 is op that the teeth of one ratchet'wheel come half way between the teeth of the other ratchet wheel. At the ends of the shaft 14 are fixedly attached the levers-17 and 18.

19 is an arm fixedly attached to the shaft a and the arm 19 has two pawls 20 and 21 pivoted thereon, adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheels 15 and 16 respectively 22, 22 are magnets located under one end of the rocking arm 13. When the magnets 22, 22am energized they draw down the end of the rocking arm 13 that is over those magnets. The rocking arm 13 atthe same time draws down the lever 17 which is fixedly attached to the shaft 14; and rotates that shaft which in turn moves the arm 19 carrying the pawls 20 and 21, moving the pawls over the teeth of their respective ratchet wheels. V] hen the electric current is broken the magnets 22, 22 are deenergized and the end of the rocking arm 13 9 is released. The springs 23,- 23 exert the force against the pawls 20 and 21, moving the ratchets 15 and 16 the space of half a tooth. On the side of the ratchet wheels 15 and 16 opposite to the pawls 20 and 21 are pawls 2 1 and 25 which are similar to the pawls 20 and 21. Thepawls 24: and 25 are loosely mounted upon the pin 26.

Attached to the pawl 2% is the bar 27 and attached to the pawl 25 is a similar bar 28. L

The bars 27 and 28 have the hook shaped ends farthest from the pawls. Attached to the bar 27 is a spring 29. Attached to the bar 28 is a spring 30. These springs are both attached at the lower end to the hook 31 which is fixedly attached in any suitable manner to the frame of the machine. The bars 27 and 28 form a part of a switch.

32 is a plate which is attached to the frame of the machine but insulated therefrom by insulating washer 33. The plate 32 is connected by a wire to the magnet 22 as above described. When the bar 27 comes into contact with the plate 32 it makes a circuit through that magnet and when the bar 27 is not in contact with the plate 32 that circuit is broken. The same is true in regard to the bar 28 with the plate 30 and magnet 35f The magnets are controlled by a switch mechanism as illustrated in Figs.

Referring to the diagrams Figs. 28 to 32, 34: is a lever for closing the switch of the battery circuit. This is also shown in Fig. 18 and will be'hereafter described. When ment ofthe feed belt 4.

the bar moves between the switch poles the circuit is closed and the magnet 35 is energized. When the circuit is closed as shown in Fig. 29, the magnet 35 is energized and draws down the end of the rocking arm 13 which is located above said magnet. "When the rocking arm is down over the magnet 35 the clutch fork 1'2 tilts to the left as shown in 3a or to the right as shown in Fig. 29, moving the clutch so that it ongages with the feed roll 8. Located beyond the feed rolls 8 and and geared. together with the feed rolls 3 and 9 or in any other suitable manner, are the rolls 38 and 37. The surface of the roll 36 is insulated from its shaft and has bearing upon it the brush 38. The peripheries of the feed rolls are conductors of electricity and when the circuit is closed the electricity is carried from the brush 33 to the roll 36 and communicated there with the roll 37 and from the roll 37 it grounds through the machine to .the bar 28 and its electrical connections.

lVhen the collar blank enters between the rolls 36 and 3'? this electrical connection is broken and the magnet 35 is no longer en-' ergiized, and the rocking arm 13 is no longer drawn down but assumes the position as shown in Fig. 30 and the clutch is disengaged from the roll 8 and stops the move-- The rocking arm 13 is returned to a horizontal position as shown in Figs. 2 and 30 by the spring 23 acting upon the pawl 20 and revolving the ratchet 15 one-half the distance between two teeth. This action takes place when the current of electricity no longer energizes the magnet 35. When the ratchet 15 makes the movement of one-half the distance between two teeth, as stated, this brings down the bar 27 and makes the contact with the plate 32 as shown in Fig. 30. At the same time the collar blank which has broken the connection between the rolls 36 and 37 continues to move between the rolls 33 and 37 until the collar blank is passed out from between the rolls 36 and 37 as shown in Fig. 31, and those rolls again come into electrical contact with each other, energizing the magnet 22 and drawing down that end of the rocking arm. This moves the feed roll 9 and carries the feed belt upon which is deposited the collar blank and moves the blank along the endless belt 3 until the second collar blank comes between the rolls 36 and 37 and again breaks the circuit as above described and as shown in Fig. 32 and brings the rocking arm 13 to a horizontal position as shown in Figs. 28 and 2d and the other portionsof said machine as shown in those figures.

The bar 34 is moved in position between the switch contacts by hand making electrical connections as shown 1n Fig. 29 and allowed to remain there during the operaand as have cros -slots.

across the machine tion of the machine. The shafts carrying the feed rolls 8 and 9 are geared to the rolls 36 and 37 and are operated by power in any desired manner, preferably as shown in Fig. 13. The rolls 8 and 9 reach only half way across and are loosely mounted upon the shaft 10 and the rolls 36 37 are fixedly mounted upon their respective shafts and are geared together. The goods come from between the rolls 33 and. 37 to between the plates e0, a1 and The cover or outside is preferably run between the plates n and lf and the lining between the plates 40 and d1. This allows them to rest in difi'erent planes. This is so that they can be moved outwardly and discharged from the plates with the blank on the upper plane exactly over the blank on the lower plane so that they may be pasted or folded or attached together as may be desired. The plates 4.0, ll and 42 are stationary plates. The blanks are removed from these plates by the carrying plate This best represented in Figs. 3, 5, G, 7, 3 and The plates to, ll

ll' ithin the crossslots are the es l-l, ll, attached to the carrying plate a3, r 43. These gages are attached to the c rrying plate L3 as shown in Fig. 9. The gages l-e'l, M, 44-. are rigidly attached to the carrying plate -il3 but may be adjusted to feed different shaped collar blanks as may be desired.

sliding bar for the purpose of keeping the carrying plate in a horizontal position. The plate L3 moves horizontally and parallel with the plates to, ll and -12 and the ll extend through the slots of said plates and take the blanks from these plates and deposit them upon the carrying plate l3 beyond the said plates. The carrying plate l3 is operated by the endless chain L6. The carrying plate as is attached to the endless chain by any suitable means, preferably by the sleeve at as shown in 19 and 21.

4:3 is the shaft upon which the sleeve lT loosely mounted. The chain L6 is attached to this sleeve by means of the ri ets or bolts 419, 49 which are also pivoted to the sprocket chain. The shaft 13 and sleeve ll" travel with the sprocket chain. Upon the shaft 50 is mounted the sprocket wheel which drives the chain. The spro chain at the other end of the plates is ClilVGll by the sleeve 51 avhich loosely mounted on the shaft 52. The sleeve 51 has the sprocket on one end fixedly attached thereto. These sprockets mesh with the sprocket chain and dri e the sprocket chain on the other end of the plates and keep the same parallel with the sprocket chain d6.

Fig. 5 shows the collar blanks between the stationary plates 40,41. and 42. When in this position the carrying plate l3 is in a starting position. Fig. 6 shows the carrywhen the clutch revolves with the shown in Fig.

shaft 60 operates the carrying the carrying plate 43.

ing plate having moved the collar blank between the stationary plates 41 and 42 and comes nearly under the collar blank which isbetween the stationary plates and 41. The carrying plate 43 continues until said plate reaches the position beyond the stationary plates as shown in Fig. 7, the gages in the meantime move the collar blanks between the stationary plates until they reach the position shown in Fig. 7 beyond the stationary plates and the collar blanks then resting upon the carrying plate 43. The carrying plate 43 being carried by the endless chain descends carrying the collar blanks until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 3 at the lower level of the machine. The carrying plate 43 is provided with slots and whenthe carrying plate reaches the lower level of the feeding machine the gages 53, 53 extend through the slots between the machine and the collar blanks. The gages 53, 53 are of any desired number and are attached to the base of the machine. Thus when the endless chain continues to move carrying with it the carrying plate 43 these gages hold the collar blanks from moving with the carrying plate and the collar blanks are deposited on the bed-plate of another machine or a table as shown in Fig. 9. The blanks are then in position for such treatment as may be desired. The endless chain continues to travel and carries the carrying plate to the starting position.

It is evident from the work accomplished that the carrying plate must be timed with other parts of the machineso that the carrying plate will stop and wait until the collar blanks are between the plates and the blanks must be between the plates in the order described. The carrying plate 43 is arranged to start when the collar blanks are in position between the stationary plates. This is accomplished by the mechanism shown in Figs. 33, 34, 35 and 36 and parts are also 23. The mechanism of the feeding machine is driven by any suitable power as by the power pulleys 54 and 55. The pulley 54 is mounted loosely upon the sleeve 56 and the pulley is mounted fixedly upon the same sleeve. The beveled gear 57 is mounted fixedly upon that same sleeve and drives the beveled gear 58 and the shaft 59. The shaft 59 drives the feeding mechanism of the feed rolls of the machine. The plate through the sprocket wheel 63 which is fixedly attached thereto. Keyed to the shaft 60 and slidably mounted thereon is the clutch 62. The clutch 62 is constructed to slide along the shaft 60 until it engages the pulley 55 pulley 55 and the sleeve 56 and thus revolves the shaft 60 which in turn revolves the sprocket wheel 63 and the endless chain 46 carrying with it The endless chain 46 carrying the sleeve 47 until the sleeve 47 reaches the sprocket wheel 63 at which time the flange of the sleeve 47 strikes the lever 64.

As shown in Fig. 35the lever 64 ishung upon the bent shaft 65, Fig. 34, causing said shaft 65 to rotate in its bearings and causing the arm 66 which is fixedly attached to said shaft 65 to press against the clutch 62, causing the clutch to move outwardly out of contact with the pulley 55 and thus stopping the movement of the shaft 60 and the intermediate connections and the carrying plate 43.

hen the goods leave the belt 3 and pass through the rollers 36 and 37 and between theplates 41 and 42 the rollers 36 and 37 again make an electrical contact and energize the magnet 35 of the timing mechanism. This brings down the end of the rocking arm 13 located over that magnet and brings down the lever 67 attached to the beveled side of.

shaft 68 and rotates the shaft 68 the end of which is bent as shown in Figs. 33 and 34. The end of the shaft 68 comes in contact with the lever 64 and presses that away and off from the flange 47. The lever 64 at the same time moves toward the sleeve 47. This revolves the shaft 65 carrying with it the arm 66 and moves the end of the arm away clutch 62 and permits the spring 69 to move the clutch into contact with the wheel 55 and again starts the shaft 60 through intermediate connections carrying the sprocket chain 46. This operation is repeated automatically during the progress of the same.

In starting the machine so that the linen or outside of the blank shall be first deposited between the lower plates 41 and 42, I provide the pawl 70 to engage the teeth of the ratchet 15. This pawl is attached to the switch lever 34, Fig. 18, and when the lever 34 is moved in position to make the circuit the pawl 70 moves the ratchet 15 so that the teeth come in position to allow the pawl 25 and the bar 28 tocome in position from the beveled end of the,

with the corresponding plate making thev electrical contact and net 35. p

The rolls 71 and 72, 73 and 74, as shown magnetizing the mag- 011 Figs. l2, 13, 14 and 15, are loosely mountrevolve in their bear- 72 and 74 are mount- The upper rolls 71 72 and the endless shafts upon which the rolls the endless conveyers upon the conveyors while the first layers of goods are being drawn through by the feed rolls 36 and 37.

75 is a spring of any suitable form for holding the rolls with uniform pressure by the carrying plate upon a upon the goods placed upon the endless conveyers. These rolls are adjustably mounted upon the frame of the machine so as to be used with goods of different lengths and the location of the rolls along the conveyers may be adjusted to suit the length of the goods by any suitable means as by the hand wheel 76 mounted upon the end of the screw 7 7 The endless conveyers are driven by the feed rolls 8 and 9 which may be geared or belted to their rolls in any suitable manner.

The endless conveyers passing between the ot ier rolls drive the other rolls. The goods are combed out and deposited upon the conveyers 1 and 2 as may be desired. The goods follow he conveyers and pass between the rolls as may be desired and are fed one at a time between the rolls 36 and 37 as above described.

After the goods pass between the rolls 36 and 37 they are carried between the stationary plates 10, ll and 42 by the gage role 78 and 79. These rolls are provided with flanges 80, 80 which extend through slots in the stationary plates 10 and l1 so that the goods passing between the rolls 36 and 37 come in contact with the flanges S0 and are carried on between their respective plates. The rolls 78 and 7 9 are suitably mounted upon the shafts which are driven by a train of gears of any suitable construction from the roll 36. When the goods are being fed by one of the conveyers between the rollers 36 and 37 at one end of said rollers the goods break the electrical contact. In order tobreak the electrical. contact the roll 36 must be raised uniformly from contact with the roll 37. Otherwise the contact would not'be broken. In order to accomplish this T locate the bearings of the shaft of roll 36 in links 81, 81, the other end of said links being fixedly mounted upon the shaft 82. The shaft 82 is pivotally mounted between two point screws 83, 83

at each end of said through the frame of the machine. In the operation of my feeding machine it is preferably attached to another machine for treating the goods after they have been deposited table or bedplate of the other machine. For example, this particular feeding machine is arranged to be operated with the folding machine for which I have applied for a patent, which application is of even date with this appli cation. 1

3 shows electric switches 8d and attached to the rear portion of the machine underneath the stationary plates and along side the endlesschain. These, switches 84 shaft, which screws pass move until the blank from conveyor and 85 are adjustably attached to the feeding machine so that they may be properly arranged for timing with the folding machine with which the feeding machine is connected. Wires lead from the switches 85 and 8a to the magnets of the folding machine forming a circuit when closed. As the endless chain passes around the feeding .machine conveying the carrying plate the flange 61 on the sleeve 47 strikes the switch 85 causing the same to make an electrical contact and energizes the magnet to which the wire leading from that switch is at tached to the folding machine. The goods aredeposited on a table or bed plate of the folding machine ready to be operated on by that machine. As the endless chain continues to travel the flange 61 forming a part of the sleeve 47 leaves the switch S5 and strikes the switch 8d and makes an electrical contact. This operates the folding machine to which thefeeding machine is attached.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that member 86 upon which the goods from the carrying plate 43 are deposited is the bedplate of the folding machine as described in my accompanying application Serial No. 793,355, filed October a, 1913. After the collar blanks are deposited from the carrying plate 43 upon the bed-plate of the folding machine they are folded over the die on the folding machine and carried by the die to the receiving table 87 and deposited thereon when the die is collapsed. The two machines are designed to be operated together but either machine maybe operated inde pendently of the other and the goods may be deposited upon the bed-plate of the folding machine by hand or by any other feeding machine and the feeding machine may i be used for feeding the goods to a pasting or other machine as may be desired.

The operation of my feeding machine is as follows :Blanks of one quality are depos ted on the conveyer 1 and blanks of a different quality are deposited on conveyer 52. These blanks are combed out so that the rolls will catch only one blank at a. time. [The machine is then started and the conveyors l and 3 start first. Each feed roll drives the respective conveyer mounted upon it on that side and also, by means of the intermediate rolls, drives the corresponding conveyer on that side. In the same manner the other feed roll drives the opposite conveyors. in starting the machine the operator starts conveyer 1 by hand and moves it until the blank upon conveyer 1 enters between the rollers 36 and 87. The conveyer 2 does not 1 enters between the rolls 36 and 37 and the blank passing between those rolls breaks the electrical contact and causes the conveyer 1 to stop with the remaining blanks. The rolls 36 and 37 continue to revolve and deposit 'abled to operate said rocking arm, and

the blank between the platesll and 42 beyond the rolls. When the blank leaves the rolls 36 and 37 the electrical contact is made between those rolls'and the conveyer 2 starts and presents its blank between said rolls. As soon as 'that'blank enters between the rolls the electrical contact between said rolls is broken and the conveyor 2 ceases to move the remaining blanks. The rolls 36 and 37 continue to revolve and deposit the blank between the plates $0 and d1. When the blank from conveyor 2 leaves the rolls 3G and 37 the electrical contact is again made between said rolls and conveyer l is again started and the same time the conveyer plate 45is started and the catches upon the movable conveyor plate 45 extending through the slots in the plates 4-0 and 41 and 4-2 moves the blanks already depositedupon those plates outwardly until they rest on the plate 43 and the plate 48 descends and deposits the blanks against the gage 53 and down on the bed-plate of the folding machine.

By using my feeding machine with a folding machine as shown, one operator is entwo or more folding machines and the machines operating automatieally they feed and fold collars'much more rapidly and accurately than is possible to be "done by hand operated machines. Neither do the machines depend upon the skill of theoperator for speed at which the collars may be handled. By using the machines together pasting collar blanks together is dispensed with, saving time and labor in manufacturing. The feeding machine feeding the collar blanks accuratclyupon the bed-plate of the folding machine and the folder-plates of the folding machine folding the blanks overthe die and they being folded and pressed in that manner, the pasting together of the blanks is not necessary. The machines being operated automatically together'the operation of folding the collars ismuch less laborious than by hand operated folding machines.

What I'claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, v l. In a machine of the class described a frame, a series of rolls mounted upon shafts having bearings attached to said frame, said rolls being feed rolls and adapted to carryendless conveyors, endless conveyors mounted upon said and adapted to receive goods deposited on the surface thereof, receiving plates attached to frame, a clutch located between said feed rolls,- a rocking arm pivoted upon said frame,a clutch forkmounted upon said adapted to move said clutch into engagement with said feed rolls one at a time whereby goods deposited upon the surface of said conveyers will be alternately fed on said receiving plates.

upon said rocking 2. In a machine of the class described a frame, roller bearings in said frame, a series in the bearings, endless conveyers mounted upon said rolls, said 'conveyers driven b upon the same shaft, a rocking arm mounted upon said frame, a clutch fork mounted arm, a clutch slidably mounted upon-the same shaft with said feed rolls and adapted todrive said feed rolls, said clutch fork adapted to slide said clutch into engagement with each of said rolls one at a time, magnets mounted upon said frame under the ends of said rockinga-rm, means for magnetizing said magnets alternately whereby said rocking arm will rock alte nately tilting said clutch fork so as to move said clutch into engagement with said feed rolls, substantially as described.

In a machine of the class described a frame, roller hearings in said frame, a series of rolls mounted upon shafts adapted to turn in the bearings, endless conveyers mounted "upon said rolls, said conveyers driven by feed rolls, said feed rolls mounted loosely upon the same shaft, a rocking arm pivoted upon said frame, a clutch fork mounted upon said rocking arm, a clutch slidably mounted on thesane shaft with said feed rolls and adapted to drive said feed rolls, said clutch forkadapted to slide said'clutch into engagement with each of saidrolls one at a time, magnets mounted upon said frame under the ends of said rocking arm, means for conducting electricity through a pair of said rolls to said magnets alternately whereby said magnets will be alternately magnetized rocking said rocking arm and thereby causin said clutch to alternately engage said feed rolls. 7

l. ln a machine of the class described a frame, a series of rolls'mounted upon bearings in said frame, endless conveyers mounted upon said rolls, two of said rollsbeing feed rolls, means for alternately revolving said rolls, a pair of additional rolls adapted to take-the goods which have been deposited on the surface of the endless conveyers,-'ag shaft mounted in sa1d frame, one of said ad- 7 ditional rolls mounted on the shaft fixedly mounted in said frame and the other of said of rolls mounted upon shafts adapted to turn Y a feed rolls, said feed rolls mounted loosely rollsfixedly mounted on tlieshaft turning in' bearmgs mounted upon swinging arms which arms are mounted upon a parallel shaft which is pivoted between screw points at the opposite ends of said shaft, ashaft pivoted between screw points at the ends thereof and a parallel shaft turning in bearings mounted upon swinging arms.

In a machine of the class described a frame, a series of rolls mounted in hearings in said frame, endless ,conveyers mounted upon said rolls, a rocking arm pivoted upon said frame, a clutch fork mounted upon said 

